River Valley Woman September 2022

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to River Valley Woman AGazine. Nope, not a typo. This month our magazine is all ag, all the time. Much like everything in our lives which agriculture touches one way or the other. Obvious products such as food, beverages, and leather goods, but also lipstick, body creams, and soaps, are just a fraction of farm by-products. Oh, and if you rely on certain medications to live, enjoy a reliable vehicle to get where you need to go, or a jet to take you on that tropical vacation, agriculture make that possible, too. So the next time you’re on the way to the store for wienies, milk and cereal, are flying off to Mexico, or luxuriating in the bathtub, thank a farmer! Though, maybe put a towel on first. There are a hundred reasons to be thankful that we live in such an ag-centric area of the country. And cover feature Teresa Kittridge has 100 Rural Women here to lead positive change for themselves, our families and communities. Founder of this unique Minnesota organization, Kittridge, and those involved, use their wealth of knowledge and expertise to enlighten about what rural communities really are, and to make sure women’s ideas and accomplishments have a voice. We hear ya!

It isn’t very hard to find a hundred women involved in agricultural pursuits. So many women have full-fledged ag-related businesses or at least a side hustle raising animals, vegetables, honey, etc., and selling the products made from them. Casey Prochniak, owner of Can-terVine Dairy Goats, makes and sells goat milk soaps, lotions, and candy with her own secret recipes. Lucie Resch, owner of Little Green Wagon, raises poultry, pigs, produce and more, and shares her 43 ways to make money on a hobby farm. Tina LeBrun and mom, Tami Stadtherr, combine their skills with Tuff Luv

Cattle Farm and Backstreet Country Market offering dry aged, grass fed beef and catering services. Although I grew up as a “townie,” and still am one, I dream of rural living—at least in romanticized theory. Quiet vs

endless racket of some sort, dark skies vs street lights, the possibility of having chickens running around, and maybe a pony. Then I remember the time I got bucked off a Shetland at a family friends’ house when I was 8. Climbing up onto it, I just couldn’t believe I was about to ride a horse! Sadly, my “ride” consisted of 5 seconds of whiplash, ending with me face down on the ground with a mouthful of grass.

Although I wouldn’t recommend lawn clippings as a source of nutrition, truth be told, social media’s misinformation machine, and questionable food packaging labels may try to tell you otherwise. Our Something Special spotlight shines on CommonGround Minnesota, a group of like-minded women who volunteer their time to share personal experiences, along with science and research about food and farming to help us sort through the myths.

The Minnesota FFA and Minnesota 4-H organizations know that agriculture is for everyone. So RVW gives them a hand on our Applause page for their new inclusive license plate that says just that. Funds raised will support agricultural programs delivered by FFA and 4-H. So when it’s time to renew your plate, open your purse and say ag.

Dispelling the idea that our yards and gardens have to be just so, is our Garden Gal columnist Laura Schwarz. Even an expert such as herself struggles with not having a picture perfect flower bed or weed-free lawn. What a relief! After all, there is only so much time in the day, and so much control we have over that unpredictable mother—Mother Nature. Every spring I have grandiose plans for 8 ft ornamental sunflowers and a prolific heirloom vegetable patch. And every summer I have random sunflowers wherever the seeds drop under the bird feeders, and some pretty decent tomatoes that I prop up with bungee cords when they get out of hand. Now, thanks to Laura, I’m ok with it. To heck with perfectionists and the Shetland they rode in on.

From food, clothing and cosmetics, to vaccines, fuel and crayons, consider all that ag is—and let ’er buck!

By KELLY DEVRIENDT PHOTOS BY ALICE HQ PHOTOGRAPHY

epending on who you ask, a person’s definition of what is considered rural may vary.

Some think of rural as the middle of nowhere, with only farms and gravel roads.

However, if you ask someone from the Twin Cities metropolitan area, they would possibly consider Mankato as a rural or at least rural-ish community.

Teresa Kittridge, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience working in, with, and around rural communities, asserts that Ramsey County is the only county within the state of Minnesota that does not have a rural area within its boundaries. Therefore, no matter where you live (with the exception of Ramsey County), there are rural citizens within those confines. This fact doesn’t necessarily mean that the perception of what is, and who are, considered rural isn’t dependent on who you are asking.

“I think the biggest myth and, frankly, biggest mistake people make is to paint all of the rural community with the same paint brush,” Kittridge said. “It is not one thing and it is way more diverse than people recognize.”

A native of greater Minnesota, Teresa spent much of her career in government, which included working with the Rural Policy Research Institute. With years and a variety of experiences under her belt, she is using it all to launch 100 Rural Women—a statewide program that she plans to take nationally.

Kittridge grew up in Mankato, and spent significant time at her great uncle’s farm in Butterfield. She was surrounded by peace, openness, community, and an array of strong female role models. Her Irish grandmother relished in the sense of belonging that a small town offers and made a point to be involved, understand the history, as well as advocate for change where she saw fit.

“My grandmother, Cecelia, was a strong, driven, community oriented woman,” Kittridge said, “She always pushed people to learn and to go forward.”

This idea of going forward included empowering women to not only do the work, but to also insert themselves into the decision-making process.

“I saw my great aunt work her butt off at the farm,” Kittridge recalled. “She was the one who kept it all together. Yet when big decisions were being made, she was not invited.”

Additionally, Kittridge witnessed this dynamic during her time as a student at Good Counsel Academy. The all-girl’s Catholic school instilled in her that she could do whatever she wanted to do. However, when she looked more closely, she could see that the women were doing all the work to keep the school running, while the men were the only ones in the decision room.

“It made me so angry to see the Father at the school driving alone in this nice vehicle, having time alone, while 25 nuns were piling into a station wagon,” Kittridge said.

These experiences stayed with Teresa as she grew up and pursued her career—a career that started in political science and took many offshoots. This allowed her to accumulate an abundance of adventures and skills. Throughout them all, Kittridge integrated her sense of community and responsibility, as well as her desire to see more women in leadership and decision-making roles.

As a young legislative intern at the Minnesota House of Representatives, Kittridge was given the opportunity to grow and build her confidence. Unlike many intern experiences where students get to only dip their toes in the water, Teresa was allowed to dive right in. She also had a supervisor who spent time with her and talked about what she was learning.

“I worked under Representative John Brandl and he gave me such an empowering experience and I am forever grateful,” Teresa said.

This led to a 20-year career at the House, with 14 years being in the House Chamber as an officer of the house.

Needing a change—or maybe a new challenge—Kittridge found herself working for a start-up company. Her work with a national policy group saw her spending significant time in Washington D.C., working with Congress to bridge policy and research, as well as campaigning for ways to best empower and support rural America.

Kittridge tried out a few other careers—including helping build a publishing company and a non-profit focused on renewable energy. When that project disbanded, Teresa was 52 years old and—for the first time—found herself nervous about where she would land next.

“I had received some advice years earlier to be very careful about making a job change after 50,” Teresa said, “Men can, as they are considered seasoned, however women are not afforded the same description.”

After some rejections, Kittridge prevailed and became the vice president of the Rural Policy Research Institute. That work and recommendations were derived from an evidence-based program but, after the 2016 election, the new administration decided that the institute was not aligned with what they wanted.

With that, Teresa became concerned about how women were being discussed and dismissed and how the rural communities were being represented and perceived.

“Some will say that gender inequality is no longer a thing,” Kitteridge said, “But it most definitely is.”

So, with newfound time on her hands, Teresa began to work on 100 Rural Women.

The core motivation for founding 100 Rural Women was recognizing the need to create and guide more women to decision making roles. The organization’s focus is to look at the needs and assets of women in rural communities and identify ways to better support and connect each other.

The organization launched in 2019 with a board and formal policies and procedures. The next year had Teresa planning grant applications, 

along with setting up 100 meetings across the state to ask questions, hear women’s stories, and learn what was needed to better support them to make a difference in their communities.

COVID-19 caused those meetings all to be virtual, rather than in-person, but Kittridge adapted. That adaptation, in part, involved taking on interns to help with the technology side of building an organization virtually.

“100 Rural Women was essentially built by young women,” Kittridge said. What the group ended up building was an array of programs that connect, mentor, encourage, and support women in leadership. These programs aim to provide opportunities to share knowledge and experience which, in turn, builds confidence.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of nurturing confidence,” Teresa asserted. “When a man is asked to take on a challenge, he often only needs to be asked once. Whereas it typically takes some convincing before a woman feels competent enough.”

Confidence builds the foundation that will help launch more women into leadership and decision-making roles. Combine that confidence with mentorship, connection to resources, and needs identification, and a team focused on collaboration and the means to get things done is born.

Although this is true—in spite of the landscape where you live—it is especially critical in more rural surroundings. Geography, time, resources, and accessibility are all challenges women face in these areas.

Again, whether you see yourself as rural or not is a matter of perception, as Kittridge reminded us earlier. No matter where you live, there are rural communities within those borders.

“We are all interdependent,” Teresa said, “I don’t think people think enough about our food systems and the interconnectedness of our economics.”

In the past, we have seen many within the younger generations gravitate to more urban communities.

However, the pandemic may shift that tendency. People seem to see the appeal of a slower pace, a seemingly safer place, and welcome the opportunity to get involved and engaged.

“This upcoming generation is committed to volunteerism and smaller communities allow people to more easily make a difference and also see the impact,” Kittridge said, “We have to make room for them in decisionmaking and leadership roles in our communities.”

Teresa pointed to her own daughter, Cecelia, as an example of the importance of taking a step back and letting new voices be heard. She credits Cecelia as her inspiration to think broader, and differently, about issues facing our world today and the importance of working to assure women’s voices are heard and respected.

A key element of forward movement is listening and being open to new voices. 100 Rural Women has a strong focus on mentorship to help grow these voices and ensure that they are heard.

Terri Foley has known Kittridge for 25 years and currently serves as the board chair for 100 Rural Women. She recognizes Teresa’s impact as a mentor.

“Teresa is a gifted mentor, especially for young women just starting out in their careers. She gives them challenging projects, holds them accountable to deliver, and provides hands-on guidance as needed,” Foley said.

Kittridge comes from a long line of service oriented men and women, and has found great rewards. She wants to continue that work and create ways to engage, encourage, support, and most importantly connect women, so they can thrive in their communities and make an impact.

“Her enthusiasm for helping people connect to each other is endless,” Foley added.

Connection and involvement opportunities lie within the programs offered. These include Ask a Leading Woman, Leadership Exchange, Breakfast Club Webinar series, and Reading Club. These programs are open to anyone interested.

“I am so proud of the connections 100 Rural Women is making between women,” Kittridge said. “It is overwhelming to see people helping and truly learning from each other.” RVW

What makes you good at what you do?

I am a curious person who learns by connecting with others.

If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

I would like to meet my maternal great-grandmother, Bridget McDonough Regan, who passed before I was born. She emigrated from Ireland, settling in Butterfield. I would like to know her story, her hopes and dreams for a life in America, and for her children and her journey as a community leader.

Are you a beer drinker or a wine lover?

Neither—thankful to be recovering for over 35-plus years.

What is your biggest pet peeve? People who are selfish and closed minded.

What did you want to be as a child when you grew up?

A traveler to many places.

Favorite place you’ve ever visited and why?

Italy. The food, the walking lifestyle, and of course the Mediterranean.

What book or public speaker has changed your perspective on something?

Joy Luck Club by Ama Tan. It really made me understand the hopes and dreams mothers have for their daughters.

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While Casey had shown Alpine goats as a 4-Her, she had switched to Toggenburgs and Recorded Grades—until this Alpine Doe, Tianna, came along. Tianna placed third at the Minnesota State Fair and influenced Casey to raise more Alpines. (Photo by MacKenzie McCann)

By RUTH KLOSSNER

Goats have been a part of Casey Prochniak’s life since she was a young 4-Her. She started showing goats in the third or fourth grade—first showing at the Sibley County Fair, then expanding to the Minnesota State Fair.

In 1994, Casey started her own goat farm—then called KC’s Kurve—with one Alpine doe. But it didn’t stay that way. As she wrote on her website, “It soon expanded to two and, well, the rest is history.”

By 2007, Casey and her future husband, Adam Prochniak, started showing on a regular basis. They have continued to expand that trend, establishing Can-ter Vine Dairy Goats at rural Gibbon, in 2009 when they married.

“We’re a moderate-sized dairy goat farm where we focus on healthy, happy animals with show quality,” Casey said.

Asked about the new farm name, Casey explained, “Our herd name is a rather special thing to us, as it is a combination of two of our favorite animals that we have owned. The ‘Can’ portion refers to Candy, one of our senior-most does who has since passed away. Candy was a very lovable Alpine doe and was the herd queen for years in her prime. The ‘ter’ portion refers to our Great Dane, Chester. While he was only with us for a very short portion of time, he left an impression on our lives forever.”

When the Minnesota Dairy Goat Association hosted the American Dairy Goat National Show in 2013, Casey and Adam took part in their first national show. They placed better than they had hoped—with respectable placings with numerous goats—and the national show ring bug had hit.

Since then, they’ve shown nationally in Louisville, Kentucky; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Wisconsin. They hit the Nebraska and Minnesota State Fairs each summer, the Minnesota Dairy Goat Association Show (in Sauk Centre this year), and the Quad State Show in Spencer, Iowa.

The family also spent some time at the Brown County Fair in New Ulm as—for the first time—Casey leased goats to two 4-Hers who showed there.

In between all of the showing, Casey found time to judge the 4-H dairy and meat goat show at the Blue Earth County Fair. She has also judged the Kandiyohi County Fair show several times, but finds it hard to fit a lot of judging into the family’s busy schedule.

Can-ter Vine Dairy Goats is home to about 75 goats, primarily Alpines, Toggenburgs, and Recorded Grades. Casey is milking 19 now, five at a time with a milking machine on a homemade stand. The goats are milked twice a day—and get a grain ration while being milked.

Because the herd is primarily a show herd, goat kids are hand raised.

“The babies can be hard on the mothers’ udders,” Casey said. “We also do it for disease control. The babies are fed colostrum replacer and pasteurized milk.”

When the babies are weaned at eight to ten weeks, the extra goat milk is fed to calves that Casey purchases for that purpose.

Realizing that raising goats and showing can’t provide enough income, Casey wondered what she could do to subsidize the business. About five or six years ago, she hit on the idea of making soaps, lotions, and candy from goat’s milk.

It’s not unusual to make soaps and lotions from the milk, but Casey had to do a little more research to come up with recipes for candy.

“Most people make caramels from cow’s milk,” Casey said. “A friend helped me some—but didn’t give me the recipe—so I had to tweak things. When I had it figured out, I found that my recipe was almost like one my grandmother had used years ago, except I used goat’s milk.”

Casey first made caramels, then tried fudge—of which son Ben said, “I love it.”

The fudge is so popular with the family that Casey has to hide it from Adam and Ben. While peanut butter cup is the most popular flavor, Casey also makes chocolate, vanilla, sea salt, and s’mores fudge.

She’s also expanded to chocolate dipped caramels, turtles, and s’mores—made with graham crackers, a layer of caramel, and marshmallows, all dipped in chocolate.

The family has planted several apple trees, with a plan to do caramel apples in the fall—when the trees produce apples! Lotions and bar soaps are made in nine or ten scents, with lavender, almond, peppermint, island coconut, and citrus the most popular.

Casey’s products are sold at the Home Place craft store in Gibbon, as well as through her Facebook page. She ships product anywhere and has sold to New Jersey, California, and Illinois, along with other states.

“I take pride in my products and their quality. I get really busy around Christmas,” she said. “We probably wrapped 3,000 to 4,000 caramels for Christmas last year. Adam will help wrap when we’re really busy.” 

Can-ter Vine goats have been very successful in the show ring, winning numerous ribbons and other awards.

Casey Prochniak and son Ben with one of his 4-H goats.

The milking goats greeted Casey when she came into the barn.

Casey’s goat milk products include turtles and caramels, soap and lotions. She also makes fudge in a variety of flavors and S’mores.

Livestock guard dog Ruby lives right with the milking goats.

Casey Prochniak checks on some of the spring kids in an outdoor pen.

 Ben and his younger sister, Delaney, age four, count the number of pieces that go into the bags of candy.

Besides caring for and showing the goats— and making goat milk products—Casey has worked three days a week as a certified Veterinary Technician at the New Ulm Regional Veterinary Center since 2008. She was also elected to a partial term on the GFW School Board and will refile for another term this fall. She served eight years on the Minnesota Dairy Goat Association board.

Though Adam was a city kid, he’s embraced the goat thing.

“I was as city as can be. I had nothing to do with this,” he said.

To that Casey added, “I converted him.” RVW

Goat kids are a curious bunch, always wondering what’s happening.

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id you know you could earn a living off of your land?

The more you dive into hobby farming and homesteading, the more you realize there is no “off season.”

In other words, you complete one task to move to the next and are constantly shifting your focus, based on the time of year. Early springtime means starting seedlings and hatching chicks. Then planting season begins, which moves to maintaining your gardens, the high egg production of summertime, honey, raising cattle and pigs, cut flowers and manure.

As you head into fall, harvest kicks into high gear, canning season and pumpkin season take over—only to be met with orchard season. Once winter hits, firewood and snow removal take center stage outdoors—and focus can be shifted indoors to your various crafting and woodworking skills. And then it’s not long before it’s time to start those seedlings again.

This is the natural cycle on the farm. It seems like every year we add more to our ever growing homestead—whether it be a new vegetable, a new animal, or something new to make for ourselves or sell. Pushing ourselves closer and closer to self sufficiency. While you aren’t going to make fortunes on your hobby farm, money can be made on literally every step of this process if you plan accordingly. This lifestyle requires a lot of hard work and it’s okay to creatively earn money to support it.

You more than likely won’t make enough to sustain yourself off any one thing, but combining several avenues for profit could lead you to that dream of quitting your day job and homesteading full time.

Eggs and Chicks

Egg Sales. While selling eggs isn’t the most profitable avenue, it is one of the easiest ways to get started selling from your farm. A dozen eggs can get you around $3 per dozen, depending on your area. They are easy to market, and attract a large variety of customers, which can lead to up-sells. After building a customer base, it’s easier to spread the word about new products you offer. Word of mouth goes a really long way.

Fertile Hatching Eggs. You can take egg sales a step further and sell fertile hatching eggs. This works really well if you have in-demand breeds. Purebred chickens or certain egg colors (chocolate brown and olive) can fetch a lot more money. What I like about selling hatching eggs is that it takes a lot of the work out of selling chicks.

Day Old Chicks and Ducklings. Take it even one step further and hatch them out yourself. Each step earns you more money. All you need is an incubator—or some broody hens—and you can hatch out your fertilized eggs. Depending on the breed, they can go for anywhere from $2 a chick to $18 a chick. I do know

By LUCIE RESCH

people who focus on hatching specialty breeds who have turned this into a full time, well-paying job.

Poultry

Raising Broiler Hens. They grow quickly and can be ready to process in as little as 12 weeks. You could take them to a butcher if you’re not interested in doing the deed, but with chickens it greatly cuts into your profit margins and I haven’t found it to be worth it.

Turkeys. Instead of paying a high price for a commercially raised turkey at Thanksgiving time, raise your own. A great way to earn money on your farm is to add to everything you do. So, if you’re raising a couple for yourself anyway? Add a few more to the flock to sell.

Building Coops and Nesting Boxes. There’s a really good chance that once you start keeping animals, you’ll get handy with building and working with chicken wire. You’ll learn how to make small coops, chicken runs, nesting boxes, rabbit hutches, brooder boxes, etc. You can build these things for newbies and help get them started.

Livestock

Raising Beef. Pasture raised beef is always in high demand. Raise a few head of cattle to butcher, and sell what you don’t need yourself.

Raising Pork. Same as beef. I love purchasing my meat from a local farmer, and I’m certainly not the only one. Raise pigs to be butchered. You don’t have to do any of the processing if you don’t want you. Drop the pig at the butcher, and have your customer pay the processing fees. Manure. It’s no secret that animals create waste. That waste is fantastic for building up your soil to grow higher yields in your garden or crop. Every time we clean the coop, we then spread the manure and bedding in our pumpkin patch.

You can sell anything you can’t use yourself, so find an interested farmer or gardener to work with.

Wool. You can raise sheep. Not only are they a fun addition to the farm, but you can shear them every year and sell their wool.

Breeding. If you keep animals, let them reproduce. You can then sell young livestock to new farmers or those hoping to get started with a new animal. We all start somewhere, right?

Gardening

Pumpkin Patch. With not much land and a decent location, you can move a few hundred to a few thousand pumpkins each fall. Specialty pumpkins don’t yield as high, but they go for a higher price because of that, and people like you use them in their decor. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins can yield very high, and there is a bigger demand for them close to Halloween for carving. You can pick them yourself, or run a u-pick patch.

U-pick Vegetables. You would need easy access to your garden and ample parking for this, but everyone loves produce picked straight from the garden. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beans, zucchini, peppers, onions, squash—you name it. People want it fresh.

Roadside Sales. Similar to the U-pick garden, you can set up a stand at a roadside location selling your veggies, fruit, pumpkins, or sweet corn, etc.

CSA. Community Supported Agriculture. You can set up a CSA and sell portions of your harvest. Each week you will then fill boxes for your members to pick up their share.

Seedlings. Every spring people are in need of already started vegetables, flowers, and trees. Start them from seeds indoors and sell them once the ground thaws.

Products from the Gardens

Jams and Jellies. Use any fruit you grow on the farm to make jams and jellies. Strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, and grapes can make delicious spreads. My great-grandma always made the best strawberry rhubarb jam, and I would love to buy some that reminded me of her. Make some for yourself, then sell any extra.

Pickles. Do you have a good pickle recipe? Use the cucumbers and dill you grow to make jars of pickles. Then you can sell them at a Farmer’s Market, or by placing an ad on social media.

Fresh Cut Flowers. If you have the space to grow flowers, plant all the seeds. Not only is this so wonderful for the bees and pollinators, but you could add another source of income to your farm. You could sell fresh cut flowers at a farmer’s market, or grow them for weddings. Sunflowers and gladiolas do well at markets.

Honey. After planting all those flowers to sell, you could then get some bee hives. Bee keeping is an amazing way to help save the population of bees from extinction. Why not sell the excess honey? Or take it a step further and create honey products to sell.

Trees

Christmas Trees. If you have the space for it, another option is to grow Christmas trees. Give people the Griswold experience and you could make a pretty penny each holiday season.

Fire Wood. If you own a chainsaw and a log splitter, you can sell firewood. There always seems to be trees down in storms that people need taken care of. You can help them by taking the logs off their hands, and then you have free wood to cut, split, and sell.

Tree Services. We often get requests for my husband, Rich to take a tree down. He gets paid to do so, and we get the wood which is a double win. Cutting down trees can be dangerous though, so make sure you know what you’re doing, have the right equipment, and bring a buddy with you. 

Lucie and husband Rich, with their kids Henry, James and Franklin.

Lucie Resch grew up in the suburbs in Minnesota, but moved to a Mankato homestead when she married her husband, Rich. They’ve since had three boys.

“When I first started homesteading, I was completely overwhelmed by this lifestyle, but over the years I have developed a passion for farming and living sustainably. It’s my goal to help you connect to your food, and fall deeply in love with the Earth, and caring for it through homesteading,” she said.

Find out more at littlegreenwagon.com. Her blog shares the things she’s learned, the mistakes she’s made, and the simple joys that come from connecting with nature and living a more holistic life.

 Crafting and Woodworking Quilting. There’s always a demand for high quality quilts. So, if you have the skills or are interested in learning, start sewing. You can sell your quilts at craft shows or in an online shop. Handmade Soap. Making your own natural soap is great because you can use natural ingredients that are much better for your body—and consumers want that as well.

Knit. Instead of selling the wool you get from your sheep, use it yourself to knit and sell mittens, scarves, and sweaters. Repurpose Pallets. There are so many crafts you can do with an old pallet. Wooden signs, Christmas trees, porch swings, bookshelves, coat racks. Search Pinterest and find something that looks fun to you, and sell it.

Share Your Skills

Welding. If you have a welder and any skill with it, you can do odd jobs for people. Rich likes to do this when things are slower. Teach a Class. While living on a hobby farm, you develop a lot of skills that people want to know. They would often times be happy to pay for a lesson in these skills—chicken raising, bee keeping, canning your vegetables, quilting. All you need to do is pick something you are passionate about, then set up a class. I bet you’d be surprised how many people are interested.

Photography. Do you have an eye for photography? Living on a hobby farm can provide endless photo backdrops, props, and opportunities. You could photograph families, or create stock photos for sites such as istockphoto.com or shutterstock.com.

Use Your Buildings

Boarding Dogs. Do you love dogs? You could provide a fun and loving space to board dogs for the night when their humans are out of town.

Wedding Venue. Do you have a gorgeous barn? Rent it out. You can charge a few thousand dollars for someone to have their wedding at your farm. This one would entail quite a bit of set up, possibly creating a place for parking, making sure you have proper insurances and permits, etc, but if you booked most weekends in the summer you could make a large portion of your yearly income off of wedding season.

Barn Wood or Old Tin. Maybe your once gorgeous barn has seen better days and is no longer usable as a venue. If you have an old barn or shed that you need taken down or re-sided, it can still be of value. Don’t throw out the old boards and tin. There’s a high demand for salvaged materials and people will pay a pretty penny for it. Once you tear it out, you can market it on social media or Craigslist.

Renting Farm Land. If you have extra acreage, you could potentially lease it to a nearby farmer and collect a yearly rent check. I love this idea because it can make you a good amount of money without much effort on your part. This is one of those passive income avenues that Rich and I are looking to add to our homestead. If you have the land, just sit back and collect your check.

You Can Do It!

While turning your hobby farm into a sustainable income isn’t easy, it is possible. Choose the avenues that you are most interested in for yourself, and adding a bit extra for profit doesn’t increase your workload by as much.

For the full blog post, visit: www.thelittlegreenwagon.com/43ways-to-make-money-on-your-hobby-farm/. RVW

STARTS WITH YOUR WINDOW TREATMENTS

The right window treatment can not only really make a difference in the look of your home, but impacts the space in other ways as well. It is an investment that will be around a while, so the pressure is on to choose the style and type.

I always recommend choosing window treatments that you love, instead of selecting something that is trending at the moment. You will be the one to look at it every day, so make sure that it is something that you will enjoy. Also, consider not only how the treatment looks, but how it is going to function and meet your needs for the room. This means you should consider factors including privacy, light control and insulation. Cordless and Motorized blinds and shades are quickly becoming standard because cords are not safe for kids and pets.

Some of the most popular shades that my clients love are:

• Woven wood shades come from organic elements of reed, bamboo grass, paper and jute. Woven woods filter the sunlight and fill a room with warmth, texture and natural beauty. Woven woods come in a variety of weaves from chunky woods to classic matchstick styles, unique strands of shimmery accents and wavy textures.

Roller and Roman shades are loved for their clean

appearance, superior functionality, artistic flair and exceptional style. A vibrant selection of color hews, true neutrals and impactful textures bring an infinite selection of design choices. Choose from an array of decorative and foundational fabrics, from sheer to opaque, or solar screens with just the right openness for your desired light control, privacy and view through.

• Transitional or Zebra Shades offer you the privacy of a window shade the softened view of a sheer and the option of raising and lowering your shades with privacy control at every level. Unique vanes transition from opaque to sheer as you raise and lower your shades for vast viewing options. Select one of the semi opaque, room darkening, or semi-sheer fabrics to softly diffuse the light.

• Sheer Shades offer the best of both worlds – beautiful views and protection from the sun. With the vanes open these stunning shadings provide up to 88% UV protection and 99% with the vanes closed.

Cellular Shades offer an expansive range of pleat sizes, fabrics, colors, opacities and textures, along with innovative lifting systems and design options, the choices are endless!

Sheer shades are beautiful and protect from the sun.

Roller Shades are classic and offer numerous choices in fabric.

Woven Wood Shades are unique and offer natural beauty.

Tami Stadtherr has always loved to cook—for family as well as for groups through her catering.

Tina LeBrun with one of the farm’s Charolais calves.

By RUTH KLOSSNER

Tina and Kyle LeBrun raise grass-fed beef but—when it’s time to finish it, cook it, and serve it—Tina’s folks, Tami and Greg Stadtherr, step in to lend a hand.

It’s not quite as simple as that, however, as the story goes back a decade or more.

Tina grew up on her family’s dairy and crop farm near Gibbon. Working together was one way that Tami and Greg bonded with their family. Cooking was another as Tami has always loved to cook. She’s continued that part of the equation, while Tina and Kyle have developed the production part.

But, first we have to go back a few years. Tina went off to study agricultural business and animal science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. After graduation, she came home to the family farm to work as a farm employee for a few years. Realizing that it was not economically feasible to pay off education debt and gain equity in the farm, she took an offfarm job at United Farmers Co-op in Lafayette, first in accounting, then in equipment sales.

Along the way, she met and married city boy Kyle LeBrun. They bought a place in the country, west of Lafayette/south of Gibbon, and that’s where their beef raising venture started—when Tina bought Kyle a Red Angus heifer as a wedding gift!

“I couldn’t live on a farm and not have cows, being a livestock person,” Tina said. “I wanted something different—everyone else had black cattle.”

Not long after that, the LeBruns switched gears and went with Charolais cattle, as they felt that white cattle had better meat. They got their own purebred bull and a few cows about nine years ago. The herd kept growing from there, as did their family, which now includes four children.

The production end of Tina and Tami’s intertwined enterprises begins with Tuff Luv Cattle Farm where the LeBruns now have 40 head of cow/ calf pairs. They raise the calves to weaning age, then the animals are transitioned to Greg’s place where they are finished.

“That’s where Backstreet Country Market comes in,” Tina said. “Everything we sell as Backstreet Market is beef—not dairy beef. Dad has some Red Angus—he’s always liked them; I like Charolais. The beef is grass fed, but grain finished. It’s all natural, but not organic. Our management decisions are based on treating our animals with respect and with care.”

Besides being grass fed and grain finished, Backstreet Country Market beef stands apart because it is dry aged and hangs for about 21 days, allowing the meat to tenderize to maximize the flavor.

“That combination makes it stand above—that dry-aging process makes the meat melt in your mouth,” Tina said.

The family works with Odenthal Meats of Heidelberg (near New Prague) to dry age and hang the meat. Backstreet then sells the meat as cuts, quarters, halves, and whole—in a variety of ways.

“We started at farmers’ markets,” Tina said. “Then we sold at the Rainbow Food Co-op in Blue Earth. Now we sell a lot on e-commerce through The Meatery at Mankato. People can also order from our Backstreet Country Market Facebook page.”

And here’s where Tami’s love of cooking comes back into the picture. About 20 years ago, Tami operated the Backstreet Café in Gibbon—literally in the back of a downtown business, with the entrance off the alley. The Backstreet name came over to the new business which seems appropriate, as Tina and Kyle live on a gravel road and operate their business from their home in rural Gibbon. 

Tami Stadtherr set up Backstreet Country Market’s booth at a street market.

 Backstreet Catering is Tami’s part of the puzzle—but the whole family pitches in. She had catered in addition to running the restaurant and that aspect took off after she left the restaurant. She especially likes to do beef—and can fill the meat part of the meal with the family’s own beef, because Odenthal is a USDA-inspected plant.

The family caters for all types of events—weddings, funerals, family reunions, class reunions, showers—for any number of people. They’ve catered for 450 people at a wedding and a dozen at a small gathering. Word gets around and Tami has never had to advertise.

“Mom likes to cook,” Tina said. “It’s all hands on deck for the big events. We’ll do anything that people want. This year has been a challenge, though, getting the product that people want. We focus on good food with lower prices. Mom goes above and beyond to do whatever the hostess wants.”

Some of the food is prepared in Tami’s home, where she has a cottage kitchen license, others in church kitchens that are up to code. Although most of their jobs are in the Lafayette/Gibbon area, Tami and crew have traveled to Henderson, Morgan, Mankato, and many other places.

Backstreet Catering is especially known for its creamy coleslaw and its American potato salad. During graduation season this year, Tami prepared 600 pounds of potato salad!

Catering, obviously, requires a lot of lifting and carrying. That’s where family and friends come in, among them Tina, Greg, and friends Nancie Carlson, Kim Holmquist, and Rose Forst.

“I’m very blessed with people that will help with situations like that,” Tami said.

When Covid cancelled most events in 2020 and 2021, the family’s beef sales took off as people cooked at home.

“It all works hand-in-hand,” Tami said. “With our meat being USDA inspected, we use our own beef and our catering is successful because of the quality of our meat.”

Both Tina and Tami work hard to educate people about their product—what cuts to buy and use, how to cook it, how to find recipes, and nutritional value.

“We do what we can to educate people with great customer service,” Tina said.

To learn more about Backstreet Country Market, go to facebook. com/backstreetmarketmn or tuffluvcattlefarm.com RVW

Tina LeBrun tagged a newborn calf soon after it was born.

While working at UFC about 14 years ago, Tina saw a posting for an open position as a farm business manager at South Central College in North Mankato. With her background at UFC and her farming experience, she qualified, applied, and was hired.

Of starting work there, Tina said, “I was the youngest there by a long shot and the first female. There were some big hurdles at first, then later they worried that I’d leave when I had kids.”

Tina and Kyle did have four kids—son Colton, now nine; and daughters Regan, seven, Rory, five, and Raleigh, three—but Tina stayed on the job.

“It was hard at first,” Tina admitted. “You’re supposed to know so much. Now I feel that I can be a benefit to farmers in many areas. You’re the behind-the-scene player to all the farmers with a goal of helping them succeed. I provide an unbiased viewpoint to the farmers, helping them be more profitable.”

LeBrun is one of 14 farm business managers—four are women— employed by South Central College, and one of 67 across Minnesota. Last year, Tina worked with 47 farmers in Minnesota, scattered all over the state—plus others out-of-state.

If that doesn’t keep her busy enough, Tina became president of the National Farm and Ranch Business Management Education Association this past June, after serving on its board for seven years.

“I think I was approached to be on the board because I’m young, female, and because Minnesota is above and beyond the rest of the country,” Tina said. “The association has been very valuable to me. I quickly realized that there’s so much information available to farmers—but only ten percent of it is true. As professionals, we’re trained to sift through it to help with informational overload.”

NFRBMEA convenes once a year to offer professional development and to help build expertise.

Through the association, Tina attended Minnesota Beef Producers Top of the Class training which provided an elevated advocacy of the beef industry.

“We know we have a good product, but we have to educate on what beef is. This class addressed what people want and what their concerns are. We need to educate,” Tina said. “Things came full circle—my role on the farm and at South Central. It became evident that my job as a farmer and a farm business manager is to educate people on what’s going on—or someone else will spin the story with misinformation. We have to educate consumers and the general public on our livelihood. We have to tell our story.”

GAME ON

Kyle and Tina LeBrun with their kids—Regan and Colton, standing, and Rory and Raleigh, held by Kyle and Tina.

Dart Boards • Pool Tables

The Agricultural License Plate is a joint project between the Minnesota FFA Foundation and Minnesota 4-H. The bill was first introduced during the 2018 legislative session. FFA and 4-H members, their families and others involved in the agricultural community were encouraged to contact their legislators to gain their support of the bill to establish an agricultural license plate. Many reached out to their legislators and the bill continued to gain support. Although it advanced each year, Covid caused a delay in getting the full support that was needed. In 2021 the Agricultural License Plate was established. Earlier this year the license plate became available for purchase at all DMV offices.

Inspired by nearly 100 sketches from FFA and 4-H members, the plate design draws upon imagery of both organizations. The rising sun in the background is a “token of a new era in agriculture” honored in FFA ceremonies. The hands holding seedlings symbolize the 4-H pledge of “my hands to larger service,” and the Greenhand degree which is earned by FFA members. The hands are of different sizes to represent the mentoring that takes place in both organizations between youth and adults. The different skin tones and words “Supporting Agriculture for All” remind us that all people have a place in agriculture.

Funds raised will support agricultural programs delivered by FFA and 4-H. FFA programs are available to students in more than 210 schools. 4-H is available in every county in Minnesota.

Contributed by VAL AARSVOLD FFA Foundationa Executive Director

Included in this photo are Thom Petersen, Commissioner of Agriculture; Patrice Bailey, Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture; FFA State Officers, 4-H State Leaders, MN FFA and 4-H staff.

As farmers, we use a lot of technology to help us support our varied soils in the best way possible. We also look for advice and pay for advice from many resources to help us manage our soil, seed, and financial aspects of farming. It’s hard in today’s fast-paced world to be an expert on everything.

Harvest may be done for the year, but the planning for the next year has already begun. We have made commitments to purchase seeds, plan for equipment improvements, and advance purchase the things we will need for spring planting. Additionally, we are watching the markets for the sale contract for next year’s crop before the seeds are even planted. We say we spend a lot of time planning and as anyone knows things don’t always go as planned.

There are real people behind the products of agriculture! Nearly 96% of farms are still family-owned (USDA). That fact is so evident in our own operation, as well as many of our neighboring farms. My dad and my brother run the dairy, my husband and his uncle care for the beef cattle, my dad and my husband do a lot of the crop work, and my cousin Zach and I take care of the pigs. We have a neighboring family (fatherson-uncle) that we trade fieldwork and meals with. I have good friends that are moms and farmers like me. I could go on!

People today yearn to connect with where our food comes from, and as farmers, we are working to share our story. The farmer who raised that baby calf or planted the corn is a real person who is passionate about caring for land and animals, but also does things like helping her kids with math homework or shopping on Amazon. I am that person!

I wish people knew how hard we work to provide them with food on their table. We take raising and growing food very seriously. We are both honored and humbled by providing food for families.

It is frustrating when there is so much fear-based marketing with food in the grocery stores. I sincerely hope that consumers take the time to educate themselves about the food they purchase and/or reach out to a farmer if they have any questions. We would love to answer their questions!

I think another thing I wish consumers knew is the environment is very important to us. We live where our farms are located. We breathe the air, drink the water, and eat the meat we raise.

I wish everyone knew how much we care. Yes, our farms are businesses, but they are businesses that we eat, sleep and breathe 24/7. When you get asked what keeps you up at night, I can guarantee it is something farm-related.

We will spend days trying to nurse a sick calf back to health. We will check field growth every week during the summer to ensure the health of the crop. We spend countless hours doing research and educating ourselves to ensure we are making the best decisions for our farm, the land, the environment, and our community. We weigh every decision a million ways and then do it all over again to make certain we are covering every angle. Farmers care so much, and I wish everyone could understand how the farm really is an integral part of the farmer themselves – not just a business.

We genuinely care about our animals. We go to great lengths to make sure they are well cared for. At our farm, we don’t eat our own meals until everything is fed and cared for every morning and evening.

There are many farmers who work “off the farm” jobs along with farming jobs. As small farmers, we need the income an “off the farm” job provides. I work full-time in the seed industry, and my husband works part-time or seasonally when he’s not planting or harvesting.

About CommonGround:

CommonGround is comprised of women in agriculture from across Minnesota who volunteer their time to share information about food and farming. Together, the group raises a variety of conventional and organic crops, livestock and produce. We share our personal experiences, as well as science and research, to help people sort through the myths and misinformation surrounding food and farming. Learn more at commongroundminnesota.com.

Used by permission from CommonGround Minnesota

PEOPLE CARING FOR PEOPLE

Lab Services

THE WAY YOU ARE TREATED is JUST AS IMPORTANT as the TREATMENT YOU RECEIVE.

River’s Edge Hospital uses state-of-theart equipment to provide a variety of laboratory clinical testing to diagnose, monitor and prevent disease. And for your convenience, Direct Access Testing (DAT) is available so you can receive commonly asked for tests without an order from your physician. No appointment necessary!

Thank

Thank

DAT Walk-in testing

Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5 pm

1900 North Sunrise Drive (507) 931-2200 | www.REHC.org

BEST AUT OB ODY SHOP

BEST AUT OB ODY SHOP

RIVERFRONT 410 S. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 507-625-1107

HILLTOP 2010 Adams St. Mankato, MN 507-625-9070

FLUSHOTS

Flu season is right around the corner! Your Hy-Vee pharmacists would like to remind you that it is time to start thinking about flu vaccines. We offer fast and convenient service in a comfortable, private atmosphere. Any time that the pharmacy is open, you are welcome to come in and receive a flu vaccine; no appointment necessary. We accept most insurance plans and offer a 20¢ fuel saver with each flu vaccine. We will have both the injection and nasal spray vaccine available; ask your Hy-Vee pharmacist for details. Let your Hy-Vee pharmacy help protect you from the flu this flu season.

202924

QUICK+ EASY MEALS

As summer comes to a close and schedules fill up, finding quick meals that can be made (and cleaned up) in a hurry are a necessity. This is where sheet pan meals come in.

A sheet pan takes the concept of a one-pot meal and flips it onto a pan. It saves time, makes clean-up easier, and doesn’t require expensive equipment or fancy ingredients. Just start with your protein of choice, then add vegetables, fat and flavorings, and roast at high heat until everything is golden brown.

Here’s how.

INGREDIENTS

1 (1-lbs.) pkg. Hy-Vee True boneless, skinless chicken tenders

1 tbsp. Gustare Vita olive oil

2 tbsp. Hy-Vee paprika

1 tbsp. Hy-Vee garlic powder

Hy-Vee salt

Hy-Vee ground black pepper

2 (1-lbs.) pkgs. Hy-Vee Short Cuts stir-fry vegetables

1/3 c. bottled orange-ginger sauce

2 c. Hy-Vee long grain brown rice, cooked

1 tsp. sesame seeds

Whether you decide on poultry, beef, pork, fish or tofu, you’ll want to start with ¼ to ¾ pound per serving.

¼ c. green onions, thinly sliced, plus additional for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Vegetables cook down significantly under high temperatures, so always err on the side of more. When working with vegetables, make sure they’re cut consistently.

1

• Dense vegetables — potatoes, radishes, winter squashes — take the longest to cook, (around 30 minutes for bite-sized pieces).

• Vegetables with a higher moisture content (mushrooms, tomatoes, onions) can take less time, 10 to 20 minutes.

• Leafy vegetables — kale, bok choy, chard — will cook fastest, 3 to 10 minutes. If the leaves are thoroughly dry, they will turn crisp and brown.

2 3

Once you’ve chosen your main ingredients it’s time to get creative with the seasonings. Fat, herbs, spices and garnishes all add to the character of the finished dish.

Fat encourages browning and helps evenly cook the ingredients on your sheet pan. Olive oil is the classic choice, but feel free to get creative with coconut oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil. Simply toss ingredients with enough fat so they are lightly coated.

Season to your heart’s desire. Keep it simple with salt and pepper, or clean out the spice cabinet and get creative.

CHOOSE A PROTEIN ADD VEGETABLES BUILDING FLAVOR ADD A BRIGHT FINISH

Consider adding fresh herbs, squeezes of citrus or drizzles of vinegar, yogurt, vinaigrettes, grated or crumbled cheeses, salsas, and hot sauces before serving.

If you still find yourself seeking inspiration, here are 12 meals that began with just the basics, and evolved into something impressive in a few simple steps.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Place chicken in pan and brush with oil. Season with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Arrange vegetables in pan next to chicken. Brush orange-ginger sauce over chicken and vegetables. Roast for 14 to 16 minutes or until chicken is done (165 degrees), turning occasionally.

Serve chicken and vegetables over brown rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. If desired, garnish with additional green onion tops.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 410 calories, 7g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 65mg cholesterol, 300mg sodium, 52g total carbohydrate, 8g dietary fiber, 14g total sugars, 0 added sugars, 34g protein. Daily values: 15% iron, 6% calcium, 0% vitamin D, 15% potassium.

Hy-Vee Short Cuts to the rescue! Find pre-chopped vegetables and fruits in your Hy-Vee produce department.

April Graff, MS, RD, LD - Hilltop Dietitian 507.625.9070 | AGraff@hy-vee.com

I’m Ellyn Oelfke. Your devoted farm wife friend, selfproclaimed home cook, aspiring homemaker, and farmer. I live in south central Minnesota with my husband, Jacob, and our beloved Red Heeler, Hawk. Together with Jacob, his sister and her husband (Jessica and Ben), we own and operate our farm, HyTest Ag LLC, between the two rural towns of Green Isle and Hamburg. I am also co-founder of Rural Soul (www.rural-soul.com).

With conservation close to our hearts, we use regenerative agriculture practices to grow corn, soybeans, and beef cattle. We also sell seed corn for Wyffels Hybrids and help manage two hog barn sites consisting of 4,000 pigs. One of my major roles in our operation is keeping our hard working crew fed during the busy seasons. Farm wife field delivery meals are always in full force during spring planting, summer spraying, and fall harvest. Ensuring our farmers have warm food to enjoy while working hard is something that brings me immense joy.

With fall in the air, cozy comfort food definitely takes the lead in my weekly meal plans and on the supper table. While I absolutely love to grill, the turn of the seasons always inspires me to come up with new ideas for cooking meat to enjoy during the colder months. My Sweet Apple Pork Chop recipe accomplishes just that. With savory herbs, sweet Honeycrisp apple, and juicy pork, this dish is sure to be a family favorite to add to your meal rotation.

6 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 white or yellow onion, diced

1 Honeycrisp apple, diced

3-4 red potatoes, diced

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp rosemary

Salt & pepper, to your liking

2 pork chops (bone-in or boneless)

Melt 4 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet, and add olive oil. Sauté onion, apple, and potatoes over medium heat until just starting to soften (about 10-12 minutes). During this time, preheat the oven to 350.

Add cinnamon, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir together to coat sauteed mixture. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish.

Add remaining 2 Tbsp of butter to the skillet.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper, and sear in the skillet. About a minute per side.

Place the pork chops on top of the potato mixture, and pour over the juices from the skillet (this helps keep the pork super moist)

Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees.

I like to serve this with oven roasted baby carrots or green beans. For my weekly meal plans and recipes, follow me on Instagram @ellynoelfke. My recipes can also be found on my blog, Rural Soul!

Boots are Made for Workin’!

Hard-working women deserve a great looking work boot that will hold up to everything it goes through.

Kick Up Your Heels!

For a casual day or a night on the town, these bright colorful boots will be sure to make you the star.

Cute & Comfy

Twisted X shoes are the shoe everyone woman should be wearing! They have the cutest patterns and colors, and are

Work it Girl!

Ariat women's work apparel is feminine with pops of color, but can hold up with even the hardest working woman.

Style to a T!

Graphic tees are the go-to. Dress them up with a cute pair of pants and some booties and get out there!

Unbeatable Combo!

This "cowboys and beer" sweatshirt sells out fast! We keep as stocked up as possible with white and sometimes even other colors.

Pearl Girl

We love a good pearl snap shirt. You can dress it up or down with a nice pair of blue jeans topped off with a jaunty cowboy hat.

LET’S RIDE BOOTS & APPAREL Owatonna, Minnesota

TO LIVE A HAPPIER LIFE

Do you wake up feeling sluggish most mornings? Have caffeinated beverages become a necessity to help power you through the day?

If this sounds familiar, it’s time to ditch the quick fixes you rely on and develop an energy management plan. Getting started may seem daunting, but soon you’ll be energized to keep going once you reap the benefits of a happier, healthier, and more productive lifestyle.

What is energy management?

Think of your energy as a limited resource, like money in an account. You begin the day with a certain amount to spend. The amount varies from person to person based on factors such as age, sleep, stress levels, medical conditions, and lifestyle.

Activities and interactions during your day withdraw energy from or deposit energy into your account. While you may not always have control over activities that deplete your energy, you can take steps to deposit more energy into your account.

Follow these seven tips to increase your energy and live a happier, healthier, more productive life:

Eat nourishing food.

A well-balanced, healthy diet is at the core of well-being. But it’s common to regard healthy eating primarily as a tool for weight loss. According to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and whole grains is needed for optimal energy. You really are what you eat.

Consume a variety of foods from all the food groups to get a range of nutrients to provide energy throughout the day. Opt for fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, especially nutrientdense dark, leafy greens and broccoli, as well as orange vegetables, like carrots and sweet potatoes. You can choose from many types of fish and legumes for healthy protein options. Aim to eat three ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, rice, or pasta daily.

Sleep seven to eight hours per night.

Prioritizing sleep is one of the best things you can do to set yourself up for a successful, energized day. Sleep deprivation can worsen serious health conditions, as well as negatively affect your mood, motivation, and energy levels.

Getting quality sleep is a healthy habit many people need to improve. Most adults need seven to eight hours of shut-eye each night, so what prevents them from getting it?

Observe your sleep patterns if you struggle with sleep. Take note of how much you sleep each night, factors that contribute to your sleep or lack of it, how rested you feel, and how much energy you have during your day. Then try sleep strategies to improve your sleep—like creating a relaxing and restful environment, minimizing light and noise, establishing a bedtime routine, managing stress, and turning off electronic devices.

Whatever you decide to start with, be consistent. Using the same sleep routine and sleep strategies will help develop your body’s internal alarm clock and can lead to improved sleep quality. With improved sleep quality, you can experience better health and improved emotional well-being, lower risk of diseases, and be more productive.

Keep company with positive people. Maximize the amount of time that you spend with people you enjoy being around. Connecting with others who radiate positivity and have similar interests will excite and energize you.

On the other side, people you don’t relate to or who have negative outlooks, complain often, or make poor choices, will only drain your energy account. Be selective about the company you keep.

It is important to set limits and boundaries to protect yourself and conserve your energy when around people who do not refill your energy reserves.

Avoid news overload. Consuming news is an important way to stay connected to what’s happening in the world. It can be educational, entertaining, and even uplifting.

Unfortunately, the news too frequently is filled with stories of suffering. These stories can skew your view of the world and cause you to focus on your worst fears instead of recognizing the good that surrounds you.

You can’t avoid these stories altogether, but try to minimize your exposure when you can, especially during trying times.

Get regular exercise.

Do you find yourself feeling lethargic halfway through the day? Have you ever gotten winded by simple everyday duties, such as grocery shopping or household chores? The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. Contrary to what you might believe, this will add to your energy account and not subtract from it.

Exercise relieves stress and tension, strengthens muscles, and boosts endurance, and helps your body work more efficiently during other physical tasks or activities.

Do something meaningful each day.

What do you feel passionate about? Do you have a special talent that you’d like to practice more often or share with others?

Do something you enjoy every day, even if it’s a simple act like cooking a healthy meal or listening to your favorite song. Putting effort into the things that matter most to you will help you use and reserve your energy in ways that will bring out the best in you.

Think nonjudgmental thoughts toward others. Maintaining a compassionate mindset is another way to conserve energy. One example of practicing this way of thinking is called kind attention. For example, try to make eye contact with a stranger and smile, while thinking, “I wish you well.” This positive act can keep you from judging that person.

Judging others can cause you to place judgment on yourself. That type of negative internal dialogue can be exhausting.

You’ll feel better with each step you take toward this important self-care investment.

JOLENE HANSON Clinical social worker Psychiatry and Psychology Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato, Minnesota

For two full summers now, I’ve been wanting to rearrange two of my garden beds. One of them has been getting way too much sun ever since we lost a huge shade tree, causing my big blue hostas and delicate astilbes to fry and crisp. The other bed has gotten much shadier as the trees around it continue to grow; the prairie plants I planted there a few years ago reach longingly for light.

My plan itself is simple: I want to move the shade-loving plants to the increasingly shady area and replace them with the sun-loving prairie plants. But this summer has become an exercise in reluctant patience. With drought bearing down on us as early as June—for the second year in a row—it’s been difficult for me to justify doing much mid-season transplanting. The hot dry weather has been hard enough on my plants—I don’t want to add transplant stress into the mix. So, I’ve been hoping for rain and waiting for fall.

Delaying this project means my garden isn’t exactly how I want it to be, and I often get discouraged. It’s crazy how our brains often choose to focus only on negativity. I can walk through my yard and immediately pick out the problem areas, and then I fixate on those, completely ignoring the plant combinations that are working well. I think much more about the plants that I accidentally kill than those that have been thriving for years. Right now, the parts of my garden that need transplanting seem glaringly obvious. I feel like I need to apologize for them when other people view my gardens.

After six years of effort, I struggle with not having a “perfect” garden.

It makes sense, right? Images of gardens in books and magazines always show a finished product, an ohso-primped and trimmed border with everything in perfect radiant bloom. These gardens show no sign of disease or insect damage, and there are no weird holes where an established plant suddenly declined for no reason. Everything is weed-free, well-spaced, and smartly placed.

But, in reality, gardens are never finished. There are countless factors we can’t control, and even if we could control them all, we rarely have time to do so. Sometimes we gardeners make mistakes, too. We plant

sun-loving plants in shady spots, forget to water at crucial times, fail to defend precious seedlings from ravenous bunnies. Gardening is like life—it’s messy and rarely goes the way we intend.

I’ve been working hard this summer to change the way I think about gardening. I’m trying to move away from wanting the “perfect” garden as an ultimate goal. When I focus on building a magazine-ready, no-plant-outof-place, “finished” garden, it emphasizes everything I haven’t gotten done, creating a false sense of urgency and failure. This mindset detracts from the process of gardening, the beautiful, valuable working hours that bring me peace of mind, increased physical strength, and (really) endless joy.

Changing a mindset is easier said than done, of course. It takes time and effort to succeed, which is daunting. To start, I’m trying to shift my thought pattern when I quit working in my garden for the day. Instead of thinking endlessly about what I still need (want) to do, I remind myself of everything I just accomplished. Sure, I might not have finished staking the dahlias, but I did hundreds of other small tasks that are hardly insignificant. I’ll list them mentally and then spend a little time searching for something in the garden that’s pretty or interesting to look at. Ending my work focusing on successes helps eliminate some of the dread or stress that I might feel otherwise.

Next, I’ve been thinking more about why I garden. I don’t garden to win awards or impress my neighbors or land a cover story in Fine Gardening. I do it because I love being outside, because it’s fun to coax blooms out of rose bushes, because I have never eaten a better tomato than one that ripened in my own backyard. I garden because it calms my anxious mind and gives me opportunities to learn about the natural world. I garden because it makes the space around me incrementally more beautiful and because I believe our lives should always have more flowers.

My garden’s imperfections don’t make these experiences and feelings less valuable. If anything, I devalue them myself by getting overwhelmed or discouraged by what could still improve. Although practice will never make perfect, practice does make progress. And that’s good enough.

LAURA SCHWARZ New Ulm Native Minneapolis-based horticulturist & writer

When it comes to estate planning and farm succession it can be hard to know what to do. What are your options? What makes the most sense for your family and your farm situation? Here are just a few of the many questions you might have about estate planning and farm succession.

Where do I start?

Start with your existing professional advisors. An estate planning attorney is the most critical professional advisor, but your accountant, your lender, your insurance agent, and your investment advisor will all have valuable input about making the farm succession a success for you and for the next generation. This is not the time to replace your long-time advisors with new people. Be wary of outfits who promote themselves as one-stop-shopping for estate planning and farm succession at the expense of replacing your long-time advisors. Work with people you already trust, people who already know you, and people who already know your business. If any one of your existing professional advisors is not equipped to help you with a farm transition for any reason, the other professionals you work with will be good resources for recommending other professionals.

Farm succession planning means I need a trust, right?

No, not necessarily. There are plenty of non-trust farm succession tools. Forming a family farm business is a good non-trust farm succession tool. A pattern of gifting or a planned buy-out is a good non-trust farm succession tool. Co-ownership is a good non-trust farm succession tool. Contracts for deed are a good non-trust farm succession tool. Life insurance or investment policies—especially for off-farm children—are a good non-trust farm succession tool. Options to purchase are a good nontrust farm succession tool. Be wary of any attorney or other professional advisor who pushes a trust without considering or discussing non-trust farm succession tools.

But having a trust means I will avoid an expensive probate, right?

No, not necessarily. A trust can avoid probate. But there are many nontrust farm succession tools that avoid probate, too. And simply having a trust does not mean you are going to avoid probate. To avoid probate with a trust, you need to both have a trust and transfer appropriate assets to the trust. (Transferring assets to the trust is called “funding the trust.”) If you have a trust, but do not fund the trust, then your estate will still

need to be probated even though you have a trust. But if you form a trust and fund the trust, then, yes, you will avoid probate. But having a trust and funding a trust is the most expensive farm succession technique for avoiding probate. Forming a trust is expensive. Funding a trust is expensive. And after death, the attorney’s fees to manage the trust are expensive all over again. Trusts are appropriate in some cases, but trust are often the most expensive farm succession tool and simply having a trust does not necessarily avoid probate.

So, should I just have a will?

Wills are an important component of estate planning, but they are rarely the only component. Wills can and should be used along-side all the other estate planning and farm succession tools.

Having a will means we have to go through an expensive probate after death, right?

No, not necessarily. Having a will does not necessarily mean that your estate needs to be probated. And having a will does not necessarily mean that handling the estate needs to be expensive. Many estate plans include a will but also utilize other planning techniques designed to avoid probate and be cost-effective at the same time.

With so many options, what should I do?

Every family and every family farm is unique, so there is no one-size-fits-all estate planning and farm succession solution. To be sure, some complex farm succession estate plans are expensive. But not all farm successions are complex, and not all farm successions are expensive. A good attorney will listen to what makes your family and your family farm unique, will listen to what your goals are, and will provide a solution tailored to your unique family and unique farm situation.

The only way to get legal advice about these and other issues is to engage an attorney—this article does not constitute legal advice. Let him or her help find the solution that is most fitting for your family. An attorney will handle the legal work for you, so you can focus on what’s important— your family and your farm.

The self care revolution is here for men, and we could not be more excited! For too long, the stigma has been that only women care about their appearance and their health. This is no longer the case. In fact, there are many popular treatments for men that can help them feel better and look younger. Today we will discuss some of the most popular treatments for men and what they’re hoping to achieve.

Out With the Old, In With the New

If you’re a man reading this, chances are you’re thinking one of two things: “Why would I need to take care of myself? I’m a man!” or “That’s so vain.” In today’s generation, men are becoming more aware of the importance of taking care of themselves. So let’s talk about what makes the male face aesthetically pleasing:

• Men tend to have facially strong straight lines with sharper features

• Men tend have more defined jaw lines and appear to be more squared

• Men’s eye sockets are further apart, proportionally and tend to have heavier brow ridges

• Men’s lips are less full, thinner, wide, and cushioned.

• Men’s cheekbones are less prominent centrally and have sharper angles, and their temples are very square.

• Men tend to have very lean faces that define their jaw and chin, elongating the neck

Modern day scientists at Duke University did a study that found that CEOs with stronger facial features are seen as more “competent.” Even in comic books, power players are portrayed with a square jaw, suggesting power. So how can we create a strong well-defined jaw, protruding chiseled cheek bones, and a masculine chin?

Face and Neck Slimming

Accumulation of excess fat around the neck causes the appearance of a double chin and a fat, round face. A youthful-appearing face is full on top and sculpted at the lower margins. Kybella can eliminate fat from the lower face and slim the neck. This is a great treatment that pairs well with contouring the neck jaw and chin using fillers and wrinkle relaxers such as Botox and Dysport.

Chin Augmentation and Sculpted Jawline (Male Jaw Augmentation)

As a man ages, the mandible bone (jawbone) gets smaller, while the chin recedes back into the face. This makes the neck “blend” into the face and loose its sharp angles. The chin should protrude about slightly more than the tip of the nose to appear as a “strong male chin.” By augmenting the jaw line and chin with fillers, you can create a slimmer facial profile. Jaw line contouring requires precision and knowledge of male features. No worries though, male jaw line enhancement is quick and painless, with results that are immediately seen!

Chiseled Cheeks

Chiseled cheeks in men are associated with strength and power. Male cheek filler technique is different from women. We specifically place various layers of fillers to recreate the bone and cheeks on a man’s face. This creates a natural nonsurgical facelift that is subtle but profound.

Wrinkle Reducing

Botox and Dysport are two of the most popular injectables on the market that relax the muscles to prevent lines and wrinkles from settling in. They are mainly used in areas such as crow’s feet, forehead wrinkles, and glabellar lines, which are the frown lines between your eyebrows. Injections into the overdeveloped masseter muscles is another popular place to inject for men. When these muscles are relaxed, the lower face appears slimmer and sculpted. Do not worry! You will remain fully functional, and able to make all your natural facial expressions!

Hair Defined Lines

Man with a beard? No problem! You can also get that crisp chiseled look by removing hair to get a crisp line. Laser Hair Removal can safely, effectively and permanently reduce the hair, without the harmful effects that shaving can have on your skin. Lasers are powerful enough to get rid of the most annoying hairs, and sensitive enough to work on your face. The most commonly treated areas for men are the neck, neckline, beard and back.

There is no single approach to male facial sculpting. The key is using the right combination for each man to add and subtract along the various facial angles and planes to create a more youthful appearance, while maintaining normal function.

Define your Muscles and Destroy Fat with EmSculpt Neo

Even if you currently follow a strict diet and exercise plan, you may have found that you would still like to improve some areas of your body. Fortunately, a revolutionary body contouring treatment has arrived and it’s called Emsculpt NEO. Emsculpt NEO defines and increases muscle mass while decreasing fat. On average, it decreases fat volume by 30% and increases muscle volume by 25%. This can help you stay in shape whether as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with your existing training program.

Today’s nonsurgical rejuvenation, discussed here, can generally offer natural, noticeable results with little or no downtime, allowing men to schedule treatment during lunch breaks and attract little attention.

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In a world where pets occupy so much of our lives, it is hard to admit they are not perfect.

However, every day I speak to owners about their pets “naughty” behavior. Even if you are a tolerant person, it’s hard to ignore the dog that has ripped through the apartment carpet, chewed up the door frame, or dug the stuffing out of the brand new couch. Separation anxiety is not always so black and white and those memes of dog shaming are funny, until it’s your dog. Many people think their pet is perfectly fine all day because their pet’s behavior does not fit the extreme behavior but, in reality, you could be missing other signs.

Dog anxiety can come across in many ways. If your windows are open, your pet’s cries for help could be heard a block away. If you live in an apartment, you may have even gotten noise complaints. Out of frustration and fear of the consequences, owners will often fit their dog with a corrective collar. The problem with this is—although it may quiet your dog—their underlying fear and anxiety still exists and has now more than likely increased.

Anxiety can be silent suffering as well, such as pacing, panting, shaking, drooling, or hypervigilance (very alert). Regardless of the symptoms, the suffering and toll on the body remains the same. Some dogs will spend so much of their day being anxious that, after the initial excitement of seeing mom and dad, they will crash out of exhaustion.

Cats also show signs of anxiety. They may become more vocal, they may start vomiting or eliminating inappropriately, or they may just act more clingy. Cats tend to show more anxiety when their owners are home, where as dogs will show anxiety while the owners are getting ready to leave and then amp it up while they are gone.

Separation anxiety is triggered when a pet becomes separated from its guardian or someone they are attached to. They truly feel like the world is ending when they aren’t with these people. Some dogs are triggered by cues such as blow drying your hair, putting on certain clothes, grabbing keys, or putting on shoes. Some dogs put so many cues together that they become anxious when the alarm clock goes off!

These dogs often begin pacing, panting, shaking, or become super clingy, sometimes even trying to sneak out the door with you. Of course, destructive behavior is what makes people worry the most as it costs money. By this point, the anxiety is out of control and NEEDS to be addressed before they hurt themselves. Treating anxiety is not an overnight fix.

Not every anxiety falls under “Separation Anxiety.” There are other forms of anxiety,

such as generalized anxiety, confinement anxiety, and departure anxiety. The type of anxiety—and how you choose to approach it—depends on what symptoms you notice. For example, generalized anxiety often presents as “aggression” on walks or when people come over.

Anxiety medication can be super helpful in many situations, but is often scary for owners to commit to.

We continue to put more pressure on our pets when we work long hours, have busier lives, and expect them to be able to adapt to whatever activity we have going on or environment we put them in. This is unfair to the pet and does not help the situation. When a pet is over its stress threshold, it cannot cope with its feelings. We need to decrease this threshold before we can make any changes.

When a dog comes in limping, we take a radiograph and may find out that the leg is broken. We have no problem convincing the owner to give pain medication. Yet, when a dog suffers from anxiety, we often struggle to convince mom or dad to medicate, even though their body and quality of life could be suffering. Medications alone will not solve your problem.

Without behavior modification, medications are just a band aid. Simple things like changing your routine, offering a puzzle toy before leaving, changing how you return home, and structuring your interactions with your pet can all be helpful. Noise machines can also help drown out noises.

One of the biggest contributors to a pet’s anxiety is the inconsistent interactions and the lack of feedback we give it. The first thing to work on to improve this communication is asking your dog to sit for every interaction such as receiving his meal, going outside, or for coming on the furniture. This takes the guess work out and your dog learns that polite sits are a great way to effectively communicate with you.

September is a month of changes. While we mourn the loss of the last three months of great weather and drinks on the patio, your pet can become distressed with these new changes. Kids are going back to school and mornings become rushed once again. Those loud and chaotic mornings quickly turn into overwhelming silence. Don’t wait until your pet is frantic and it is hurting itself and costing you money. If you are struggling, please reach out to your veterinarian for help.

NICOLE LUECK, CVT MN Valley Pet Hospital Mankato

MD,

I am 33 weeks pregnant and my belly button has popped out. It looks like an “outie,” and it hurts sometimes when I cough, sneeze, or laugh. Is it a hernia? Should I be worried?

Contrary to popular belief, your belly button is not a pop-up turkey timer indicating you are “done” with the pregnancy. The protrusion at your naval is due to fatty material from inside your abdomen poking through an abdominal wall defect. The defect is found in the tough layer of tissue that holds your bits and pieces inside your body, and this tough layer is called “fascia.” When there is an increase in abdominal pressure, due to weight gain or pregnancy, a defect can occur when the fascia is weak. This location in pregnant women tends to occur at the belly button, leading to an outie. Most outies will cause only cosmetic distress—it looks funny—but, in some cases, they can cause physical distress as well. Here’s what you need to know about umbilical hernias during pregnancy.

Symptoms

Most pregnancies will result in an outie. Sometimes this protrusion is small and without any symptoms. You may be able to push on your naval and watch it bounce back out again with little discomfort. These types of outies do not require treatment, and will likely return to something normal-ish post-partum. If you notice that the bulge is larger than a grape, will not reduce when you push on it, or is associated with a lot of pain with lifting, sneezing, laughing, or coughing, then you may require further evaluation. Talk to your OB if you are experiencing these symptoms.

Effects

In most cases, the material that is poking through the fascia defect is just fatty tissue from inside the abdomen. In rare cases, a piece of intestine protrudes through the defect and can get stuck. This is a surgical emergency. You may notice in this case that the protrusion is exquisitely

painful and associated with an inability to pass gas, intractable vomiting, and painful distention. Emergency surgery is often needed to treat this rare condition. Most cases of umbilical hernias during pregnancy do not require surgery during pregnancy and can be deferred post-partum if symptoms persist. Thankfully, there is little to no impact on baby when a umbilical hernia occurs during pregnancy.

Treatment options

If symptoms persist post-partum, elective surgery can be considered. Surgery is usually outpatient, and repair consists of patching the hole in the fascia with a piece of mesh, much like you would patch a hole in a tire. The mesh is placed during surgery to reinforce the fascia defect, and becomes fully incorporated and a part of you after only a couple of weeks.

Recovery

Surgery is an outpatient experience, usually going home the same day. Often your surgeon will limit your lifting to 10 to 15 pounds for up to six weeks. While your baby may only weigh 10 pounds, all the baby gear can be up to 50 pounds when car seats, diaper bags, etc., are included. New moms are notorious for packing for a trip to Target as though it is a three-day excursion through remote wilderness, and that extra gear can add a lot of stress to new hernia repair. Plan for some extra hands to help during your recovery so you are set up for success.

If you think you may have developed an umbilical hernia during pregnancy, or have new symptoms that are concerning, discuss your concerns with your OB right away. He or she can determine the best plan of action and appropriate timing of treatment.

Stay safe out there, friends!

CORINNE JORDAN,

FACS General Surgeon Physicians Group New Ulm

Did you know September is falls prevention awareness month?

According to the CDC, 1 in 4 Americans aged 65+ fall each year. A fall is not only landing on the ground after losing balance, but also falling into a wall, a piece of furniture, or to a lower surface when not intended. An example of this is standing up from a chair and then falling back into the chair.

Falls are NOT an expected part of aging and there are changes that can be made to reduce the risk of falling. Frequent falling can have a significant impact on one’s quality of life leading to limited social engagements and reduced mobility both contributing to a decline of general health.

Understanding your risk factors is an important way to help minimize the likelihood of falling. These risk factors can be adjusted by making lifestyle changes. Risk factors may include: physical inactivity, home environment, vision, medication use, dizziness, and fear of falling. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and depression may also contribute to fall risk. Working with your primary care provider to manage these chronic conditions will limit the risk of falling.

Fall prevention is best managed by multiple healthcare providers. A physical therapist can improve general strength, mobility, and balance. An occupational therapist can assist in making home modifications. Reviewing your medications with a pharmacist is important to ensure you have no adverse reactions causing balance issues. Regular vision screens can ensure that you have proper eyewear and screen for other health conditions.

Even though your fall risk can be reduced, it is still possible that a fall may occur. Knowing how to keep yourself safe during a fall may prevent injuries. Protect your neck/head by tucking your chin down toward your chest. You want to avoid falling with your arms outstretched. Instead, try to spread the impact with your entire body to allow your body to absorb the force and reduce risk for fractures.

When a fall occurs, the first thing to do is assess if you have any injuries prior to trying to get up.

As the leaves start to change colors, it is the perfect time to start making some changes in your life to reduce your risk for falls. Starting small with lifestyle changes is the key to success. Starting a daily exercise program daily for just 5-10 minutes is a great way to incorporate more activity. An exercise program to reduce the risk for falls should include strength training, dynamic balance training, and aerobic activity. If you are unsure on where to start talk with your primary care provider, physical therapist, or local fitness expert.

It is never too late to start making lifestyle changes to improve the quality of life in your golden years.

KATIE SWANSON PT, DPT Mankato Clinic Physical Therapy

Curtis Sittenfeld, author of New York Times bestselling books such as Rodham and American Wife, will present a keynote address at the 7th annual Deep Valley Book Festival held Saturday, Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the WOW! Zone in Mankato.

Sittenfeld’s talk begins at 3:30 p.m. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the public is invited to browse the tables of more than 65 authors and 12 publishers and literary organizations. All sale proceeds of books go directly to the authors. The event is free to attend. Free festival tote bags to the first 100 adults!

Book drawings will be held throughout the day, including an exclusive drawing for a Friendship Bag filled with autographed books for Festival Friends (over a $200+ value). Activities for children include face-painting, balloon art and Book Bingo.

The Deep Valley Young Writer and Artist Competition Awards will be presented at noon to students ages 7 to 18 who entered and had their work judged by professional authors and artists.

The Deep Valley Book Festival is the largest literary festival of its kind in southern Minnesota. To see a lineup of authors with hundreds of books for all ages and from all genres, or to become a Festival Friend, go to www.deepvalleybookfestival.com. Follow Deep Valley Book Festival on Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Sittenfeld’s books have been selected by The New York Times, Time, Entertainment Weekly, and People for their “Ten Best Books of the Year” lists, optioned for television and film, and translated into thirty languages. Her short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and Esquire, and she is a past contributor to and the 2020 guest editor of the Best American Short Stories anthology. Her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Slate, and on This American Life radio show.

A graduate of Stanford University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Curtis has interviewed Michelle Obama for Time magazine; appeared as a guest on NPR’s Fresh Air, CBS’s Early Show, and PBS’s Newshour ; and twice been a strangely easy Jeopardy! answer. A native of Cincinnati, she currently lives with her family in Minneapolis.

“I love writing (and reading) fiction because it allows me to really imagine the granularity and texture of another person’s feelings, days, habits, opinions, and secrets,” said Sittenfeld. “We all know that our own lives are complicated and contradictory. Fiction helps us recognize the complications and contradictions in other people’s lives.”

Curtis Sittenfeld returns with a mesmerizing novel of family and identity, loyalty and deception, and the delicate line between truth and belief.

From an early age, Kate and her identical twin sister, Violet, knew that they were unlike everyone else. Kate and Vi were born with peculiar “senses”—innate psychic abilities concerning future events and other people’s secrets. Though Vi embraced her visions, Kate did her best to hide them.

Now, years later, their different paths have led them both back to their hometown of St. Louis. Vi has pursued an eccentric career as a psychic medium, while Kate, a devoted wife and mother, has settled down in the suburbs to raise her two young children. But when a minor earthquake hits in the middle of the night, the normal life Kate has always wished for begins to shift. After Vi goes on television to share a premonition that another, more devastating earthquake will soon hit the St. Louis area, Kate is mortified. Equally troubling, however, is her fear that Vi may be right. As the date of the predicted earthquake quickly approaches, Kate is forced to reconcile her fraught relationship with her sister and to face truths about herself she’s long tried to deny.

Funny, haunting, and thought-provoking, Sisterland is a beautifully written novel of the obligation we have toward others, and the responsibility we take for ourselves. With her deep empathy, keen wisdom, and unerring talent for finding the extraordinary moments in our everyday lives, Curtis Sittenfeld is one of the most exceptional voices in literary fiction today.

FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED

Being self-employed has some benefits. You get to choose your own hours, you don’t have to count “vacation days,” and you’ll never worry about getting downsized.

On the other hand, you’re truly on your own—there’s no employer-sponsored retirement plan and no benefits package.

So, if you’ve recently started a business or become a “gig worker,” possibly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, what can you do to get on the road to financial security?

There are several steps you can take, including the following:

• Establish a budget . When you’re self-employed—and especially when you’re first starting out—you need to keep tight control over where your money is going. So, establish a budget and stick to it.

• Open a retirement plan. As a self-employed individual, you can choose a retirement plan, such as a SEP-IRA, a SIMPLE-IRA or an “owner-only” 401(k). When your earnings are limited, you can contribute modest amounts to any of these plans, but when your income rises, you can boost your contributions. While these retirement plans have some things in common, including taxdeferred growth of earnings, they differ in other areas, such as contribution limits, and one plan may be more suitable for you than another, depending on whether you have employees. You may want to consult with a financial advisor to determine which plan is best for your needs.

• Build an emergency fund . When you work for a business or other organization, your income is predictable—but that’s usually not the case when you’re self-employed. And when your earnings are uneven, you can be vulnerable to financial stress when you face an unexpected expense. To help protect yourself from these threats, try to gradually build an emergency fund containing a few months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account.

• Pay down your debts . Some debts, such as loans to help your business, may be unavoidable—and even productive. But other debts—especially those that can’t be deducted from your taxes and carry a high interest rate—are far less useful, so you may want to set up a repayment plan. With your other expenses, you might not be able to whittle these debts down as fast you’d like, but, over time, your efforts can pay off.

• Put money aside for taxes. Because no employer is withholding taxes from your paychecks, you will likely have to make quarterly estimated payments. Plus, you’re responsible for all your Social Security taxes, which, if you worked for someone else, would be split between you and your employer. To make sure you’ve got enough money available to pay your taxes, you might want to set up a special account—one that’s not used for any other purpose.

• Get proper insurance. Depending on the nature of your work, you may or may not need some type of business insurance but, if you have a family, you should certainly consider the need for life insurance, and you may also want to consider disability insurance.

Self-employment can be quite fulfilling—and you’ll find it even more rewarding when you make the right financial moves.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

MEGHAN ANDERSON Financial Advisor | Edward Jones St. Peter

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT LISTED

To have your event listed, please email Ruth Klossner at cowladyruth@gmail.com by the 5th of the previous month. Listings are generally for events that are free to the public, or are fund-raisers. Listings will be published as space allows and at the discretion of the editor.

Fri, Sept 2

• Programs at Flandrau State Park, 1300 Summit Ave, New Ulm. Archery, 4-5:30 pm; Flandrau State Park Story, 7-8 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@ state.mn.us

Fri, Sept 2, 16 & 30

• Schell’s Summer Series, Schell’s Bier Garden, New Ulm, 6-8 pm. Info: cvanasten@schellsbrewery. com, Facebook or schellsbrewery.com/.

Sat, Sept 3

• Programs at Fort Ridgely State Park, 72404 Co Rd 30, Fairfax. Archery 1-2:30 pm, Geocaching 101, 4-5 pm; Minnesota State Parks, 7-8 pm. Info: 507-3848890 or scott.kudelka@state. mn.us

Sat-Sun, Sept 3-4

• Sleepy Eye Toy Show, Arena, 620 Southdale St SW, Sleepy Eye. 9 am-4 pm Sat, 9 am-2 pm Sun. Info: 507-381-8234 or 507-3818235.

Sun, Sept 4

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169. Archery, 1-2:30 pm; Nature Hike, 4-5 pm; Wild about Wildlife, 7-8 pm. Info: 507-3848890 or scott.kudelka@state. mn.us.

• Music at Schell’s Bier Garden, 1860 Schell Road, New Ulm. 1-4:30 pm. Info: schellsbrewery. com or egleisner@schellsbrewery.com.

Tues, Sept 6-27

• Henderson Classic Car Roll-ins, downtown, Henderson, 5-8 pm. Info: hendersonrollin@gmail. com or hendersonrollin.com.

Wed, Sept 7

• Car & Bike Night, Main Street, Lafayette. Info: Dave’s Place of Lafayette 2022 on Facebook.

Thurs-Sat, Sept 8-10

• Citywide Garage Sales, Springfield. Info: springfieldmnchamber.org/.

Fri, Sept 9

• Lind House Drive-thru Fundraiser, Lind House, New Ulm, 4-7 pm. Info: Facebook.

Fri, Sept 9 & Oct 14

• Chicken Dinner, American Legion, 600 Co Rd 20, Lake Crystal, 5-7 pm. Info: lakecrystalcham -

GO. BE. DO. CON NECT.

ber.com/events.

Fri-Sat, Sept 9-10

• Fall Citywide Garage Sales, Hutchinson. Info: explorehutchinson.com/join-the-chamber/chamber-events-happenings/.

Fri-Sun, Sept 9-11

• Savannah Sipping Society Production, State Street Theater Co, 1 N State St, New Ulm. 7 pm Fri & Sat, 2 pm Sun. Info: 507359-9990, or info@statestreetnewulm.org or statestreetnewulm.org/.

Sat, Sept 10

• Hermann Fest, Hermann Heights Park, 10 Monument St, and Harman Park, 101 N Garden St, New Ulm, 11:30 am-9 pm. Info: hermannmonument.com.

• LTC (& Taxes) 101—Little Known Strategies to Fund Long-term Care, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 9-10:30 am. Info: 507-233-8307, cfleck@newulm. k12.mn.us or newulm.ce.eleyo. com/.

• New Ulm Municipal Band Concert, Harman Park, New Ulm, 6 pm. Info: sites.google.com/view/ newulmmunicipalband/home or 507-794-7913.

• Human Foosball Tournament & Block Party, 500 Block of S Front St, Mankato, 12-5 pm. Info: mankatounitedway.org/human-foosball.

• Drew’s Crew 5K Colorfest Run/ Walk, Harman Park, 101 N Garden, New Ulm, 10:30 am. Info: 507-766-4310 or DrewsCrew.org.

• Jay Allen—Music for Memories benefit concert for A Walk to End Alzheimer’s, downtown, Gibbon, 7-11:30 pm. Info: jayallenofficial.com or 507-766-0970.

• Dirt Detectives, Farmamerica, 7367 360th Ave, Waseca, 11 am-3 pm. Info: farmamerica.org/ event/dirtdetectives/, 507-8352052 or info@farmamerica.org.

• Programs at Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169. Geocaching 101, 9-10 am; Digital Photography, 11 am-noon. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

• Classic Car Day, Mulberry & Hwy 169 St. Peter, 8 am-noon. Info: Facebook.

• Unique Classic Cars Roll-in, 2015 Bassett Dr, Mankato, 9 am-2 pm. Info: uniqueclassiccars.com/ourevents.

Sat, Sept 10, Fri-Sat, Oct 7-8 & Sat, Oct 15

• Shop the Lot, City Lot at 2nd N

& Broadway, New Ulm, 10 am-3 pm. Info: Facebook.

Sat-Sun, Sept 10-11

• Rock Bend Folk Festival, Minnesota Square Park, 1000 S Minnesota Ave, St Peter. Info: rockbend.org/.

Sun, Sept 11

• Lions Club of New Ulm Fly-In Breakfast, Municipal Airport, New Ulm, 7 am-12:30 pm. Info: 612-501-2719 or bbschir@comcast.net

• Church of St. George Harvest Festival, West Newton Twp, 63105 Fort Rd, New Ulm, 10:30 am-2 pm. Info: holycrossafc.org/ parish-festivals.html.

Wed, Sept 14

• Ice Cream Social, Immanuel Lutheran Church, 50490 478 St, Courtland, 4:30-7 pm. Info: 507359-2505 or church@immanuelcourtland.com.

Wed, Sept 14 & Oct 12

• Friends in the Kitchen Class, CAST Senior Center, 600 N German St, New Ulm, 11 am-12:30 pm. Info: 507-354-3212, castnu@ newulmtel.net or communityandseniorstogether.org.

Thurs, Sept 15

• B2wins Concert, CrossPoint Church, 1215 Roberts Rd SW, Hutchinson, 7 pm. Info: hutchinsonconcert.weebly.com/ or hutchconcert@gmail.com

• Cruisin on Pine & 99, downtown, Nicollet, 5-8 pm. Info: facebook. com/pineand99/.

• AAUW Taste of Steele County, Eagles, 141 E Rose St, Owatonna, 5-7 pm. Info: visitowatonna.org/ calendar-of-events/.

Fri, Sept 16

• Senior Driver Refresher Course, CAST Sr Center, 600 N German St, New Ulm, 1-5 pm. Info: 507354-3212, castnu@newulmtel. net or communityandseniorstogether.org.

• Downtown Car Cruise-In/Show Night, Faribault, 6-9 pm. Info: Facebook.

Fri, Sept 16 & 30

• Schell’s Summer Series Live Music, Schell’s Bier Garten, New Ulm, 6-8 pm. Info: cvanasten@ schellsbrewery.com.

Fri-Sat, Sept 16-17

• Arts & Crafts Festival & Taste of Hutchinson, Library Square Park, Hutchinson. 10 am-6 pm Fri, 9 am-4 pm Sat. Info: business. explorehutchinson.com/events/ calendar.

Fri-Sun, Sept 16-18

• 50th Annual Mahkato Wacipi, Land of Memories Park, 100

Amos Owen Ln, Mankato. Info:Facebook or mahkatowacipi. org/powwow-details.

Sat, Sept 17

• Rustic Mamas’ Fall Market, Four Seasons Bldg, 1525 Elm Ave S, Owatonna. Info: fourseasons@ co.steele.mn.us or 507-451-1093.

• Multicultural Fiesta, 505 1st Ave S, St. James. Info: 507-375-3333 or stjmnchamber@gmail.com.

• Bier on Belgrade, Belgrade Ave, No. Mankato, 12-10 pm. Info: Facebook or visitgreatermankato.com/events/oktoberfest-bier-blegrade/.

• Bend of the River Fall Festival, Blakeslee Stadium, 191 Stadium Rd, Mankato. Info: bendoftheriverfestival.com.

• Madelia’s 2022 Oktoberfest, Watona Park, 700 Dill Ave NW, Madelia. Info: 507-642-8822, chamber@madeliamn.com or visitmadelia.com.

• Out of the Darkness Walk, Sibley Park, Mankato, 10 am-12 pm. Info: 507-327-6218 or brittinnif@ gmail.com

• Mick Sterling Memphis and the Meantime, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault, 7:30. Info: paradisecenterforthearts.org/performing-arts.

• Social Security (& Taxes) 101, Washington Learning Center, New Ulm, 9-10:30 am. Info: 507233-8307, cfleck@newulm.k12. mn.us or newulm.ce.eleyo.com/.

• New Ulm Fire Fighter’s Relief Assn Dance/Miss New Ulm Coronation, Turner Hall, New Ulm, 5-11 pm.

• John Denver Tribute, State Street Theater, New Ulm, 7-9:30 pm. Info: sjuni@statestreetnewulm. org.

• RCHS Fall Flea Market, Rice Co Hist Soc 1814 2nd Ave NW, Faribault, 8 am-2 pm. Info: 507332-2121.

• Welcoming Week Block Party, 928 11th St E, Glencoe, 3-7 pm. Info: business.glencoechamber.com/events/calendar/2022-09-01.

Sun, Sept 18

• Auto Restorers Car Show & Swap Meet, Nicollet Co Fairgrounds, 400 Union St, St. Peter, 6 am-3 pm. Info: autorestorerscarclub. com.

Wed-Thurs, Sept 21-22

• Turmoil Downtown Murder Mystery Event, Schell’s Brewery, 5:15-8 pm. Info & tickets: 507233-4300, chamber@newulm. com.

Fri-Sat, Sept 23-24

• Fall Citywide Garage Sales, Nicollet. Info: nicollet.org.

Sat, Sept 24

• Prairie Seed Collection, Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169. 10-11:30 am. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott. kudelka@state.mn.us.

• Relay for Life, Watonwan County Fairgrounds, St James, 3-10 pm. Info: Facebook.

• New Ulm Diabetes Walk, New Ulm Civic Center, 1212 N Franklin St, New Ulm, 8-10 am. Info: 507-354-8940, 612-501-2719, bbschir@comcast.net or nudbwalk. com.

• NUMAS Haus Annual Fundraiser, Turner Hall, New Ulm, 5-9 pm. Info: 507-381-9282, kristiandersen@yahoo.com or numashaus. org/kristiandersen@yahoo.com.

Sat, Sept 24, Oct 8 & 15

• Popcorn Wagon, Brown Co Historical Society, 2 N Broadway, New Ulm, 10 am-5 pm. Info: 507-233-2621, education@ browncountyhistorymn.org or browncountyhistorymn.org.

Sat, Sept 24 & Oct. 22

• Biker Breakfast, Faribault Harley-Davidson, 2704 W Airport Dr, Faribault, 9-11 am. Info: visitfaribault.com/calendar/.

Sat-Sun, Sept 24-25

• Creating a Barn Quilt Class, The Grand, 210 N Minnesota St, New Ulm. 9 am-3 pm Sat, 1-5 pm Sun. Info & registration: 507-359-9222 or grandnewulm@gmail.com.

Sun, Sept 25

• Hilltop Happenings, Hilltop Hall, 206 First St N, Montgomery, 4 pm. Info: wendyzaske@yahoo. com or HilltopHall.wordpress. com

• Immanuel Lutheran School of Courtland 5K, Junction of Hwy 111 and closed Hwy 14, 12 pm. Info: 507-359-2534 or derdman@ immanuelcourtland.com.

Fri, Sept 30

• Senior Driver Refresher Course, CAST Sr Center, 600 N German St, New Ulm, 1-5 pm. Info: 507354-3212, castnu@newulmtel. net or communityandseniorstogether.org.

Sat, Oct 1

• Deep Valley Book Festival, WOW! Zone, 2030 Adams St, Mankato. Info: deepvalleybookfestival. com.

• Group Camp Talk, Flandrau State Park, 1300 Summit Ave, New Ulm, 1-2 pm. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

• Prairie Seed Collection, Fort Ridgely State Park, 72404 Co Rd 30, Fairfax, 10-11:30 am. Info:

507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@ state.mn.us

• Family Weekend Concert I, Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus, St. Peter, 1:30-3:30 pm. Info: gustavus.edu/calendar/family-weekend-concert-i.

Sat-Sun, Oct 1-2

• Minnesota Sings State Competition, State Street Theater Co, New Ulm, 7 am-7 pm. Info: sjuni@statestreetnewulm.org

Sun, Oct 2

• Craft & Vendor Fair Auxiliary Fundraiser, Morson-Ario-Strand VFW Post 950, Mankato, 10 am-3 pm. Info: Facebook@VFWAuxiliary950, 507-440-7486, or austindawn83@gmail.com

Thurs-Mon, Oct 6-10

• Mankato’s Indigenous People’s Day, MSU Campus, The HUB Food spot, Blue Earth Co Hist Soc, Mankato. Info: Facebook.

Fri-Sat, Oct 7-8

• Shadows at the Crossing, Traverse des Sioux, 1851 N Minnesota Ave, St Peter, 6:30-8 pm. Info: nchsmn.org/events/.

Fri-Sat, Oct 7-8 & 14-15

• Oktoberfest, New Ulm. Info: 507233-4300, 888-463-9856, info@ newulm.com or newulm.com/ visitors-community/things-todo/festivals/oktoberfest-3/.

• Morgan Creek Vineyards Oktoberfest Lite, Morgan Creek, 11 am-9 pm. Info: morgancreekvineyards.com/

Fri-Sat, Oct 7-8 & Sat, Oct 15

• CraftoberFest, 1st St N, between Broadway & Minnesota St., New Ulm. 12-5 pm Fri, 10 am-4 pm Sat. Info: nucve.com.

Sat, Oct 8

• German-American Day Parade, downtown New Ulm, 11 am.

• History Fest, Jack McGowan’s Farm, 20002 Hawkeye Ln, Mankato. Info: historyfestmankato.com/index.html.

• Pumpkin Party, Farmamerica, 7367 360th Ave, Waseca. Info: 507-835-2052, farmamerica.org/ or info@farmamerica.org.

Thurs, Oct 13

• The Fabulous Armadillos, State Street Theater Co, New Ulm, 7 pm. Info: sjuni@statestreetnewulm.org.

Sat, Oct 15

• Schell’s Oktoberfest, Brewery, 1860 Schell Rd, New Ulm, 10:30 am-5 pm. Info: 800-770-5020 or schellsbrewery.com/.

• Street Talk Band, Fundraiser for Faribault Fire Dept, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault, 7:30 pm. Info: visitfaribault.com/calendar/.

SeptemberMust

HAVES

1. Leave Your Skin Feeling Soft & Smooth Basin brings the relaxation of a spa to your home. With a refreshing line of sweetly scented bath bombs, scrubs and soaps that will help relieve your daily stresses. You can find Basin products at your local Hy-Vee.

Hy-Vee Hilltop

2010 Adams St. Mankato, MN 507.625.9070

Hy-Vee Riverfront 410 S. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 507.625.1107

2. Parasol Octavia Cellular Shades

Take your window coverings to the next level with Parasol Cellular Shades. Offering an additional inner cell that adds superior energy savings and enriched, true color even in harsh sunlight. Call Blinds & More today! Blinds & More Window Coverings 507.380.5019 blindsandmore.org

3. ToxBooster

Fine lines & wrinkles are often considered to be the main sign of aging. But did you know that dark spots & sun damage are aging you, too? And what about skin sagging and texture? Combining a VI Peel Neurotoxin Injection together targets ALL signs for a youthful transformation.

The Skin Clinic Medspa 235 Belgrade Ave. North Mankato, MN 507.550.2232 mankatomed.com

4. Highlands 41 Chardonnay

This amazing wine transports you to Monterey County through a pure expression of the land and the grape. Notes of tropical fruit and a crisp finish. Pick up a bottle today!

MGM Wine and Spirits Mankato

201 Victory Dr. 507.625.2420 North Mankato 1755 Commerce Dr. 507.387.2634 St. Peter 100 N. Minnesota Ave. 507.934.8964 mgmwineandspirits.com

5. Detox Today

A detox foot soak makes joint movement easier in the knees and elbows. It’s an alternative medicine option for people who suffer chronic lymphatic and bone pain. Detoxification also promotes weight loss, as it rids your body of crippling chemicals and raises your metabolism to higher levels.

Body Concepts LLC

1615 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 507.381.5467 bodyconceptsmankato.com

6. New Fall Prints

Shop our large in-stock selection of Mens & Womens Nurse Univforms. Choose from KOI, Barco, Carhartt, Dickies, White Cross and more. New fall prints arriving daily! C&S Supply 1951 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 507.387.1171 or 800.879.1938 candssupply.com

7. Healthy, Vibrant Rejuvenated Skin

Skin Essentials offers DERMALINFUSION®, an advanced skinresurfacing treatment that simultaneously exfoliates, extracts & infuses skin with condition-specific serums for an all-inclusive treatment in one step to improve skin health, function and appearance with no downtime. Call Skin Essentials & schedule a free consultation.

Skin Essentials, Mankato Clinic 1400 Madison Ave. Suite 400A Madison East Center Mankato, MN 507.625.6599 skinessentialsmankato.com

3.

1.

8. Memory Bears

Save memories with Memory Bears made from garments from past days or something saved from a loved one who has gone on ahead of us. Any fabric that is connected to your memories is well suited for a Memory bear. The wonderful part of turning that special garment into a bear is that you can have it out to display or just hold and cuddle it. Visit us online to learn more about our memory bears.

Pins and Needles

Alterations

728 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 507.625.5163 katobears.com

9. Holland Bar Stool

Shop our selection of Holland Bar Stools featuring high quality plating grade steel with an oven baked powder coating to resist scuffing, chipping, & peeling.

C & N Sales

1840 Commerce Dr. North Mankato, MN 507.387.7986 cnnsales.com

10. Renewal by Andersen

Windows: Professionally Installed by Schmidt Siding & Window

You can be confident in Renewal by Andersen® custom replacement windows, which are backed by one of the strongest transferable warranties in the industry. Soon you’ll be saying, “I love our new windows.” Schmidt Siding & Window expert crews install them all year round. Renewal by Andersen® windows are custom-made to fit within the exact space of an existing window. They are an easy, hassle-free way to enhance your home’s comfort and appearance without the major disruptions that often come with remodeling projects.

Schmidt Siding & Window 901 N 5th St. Mankato, MN 507.625.6412 schmidtmankato.com

9.

10.

8.

As children prepare to head back to school, it’s a good time to remember that they often return to the classroom with a lot on their minds. The transition, while exciting for some, is also challenging for most.

For instance, school professionals across the country continue to notice and monitor alarming changes in students, individually and collectively, due to Covid and other changes to our world. Mental health concerns are rising, and some behaviors have been amplified or present differently now than pre-Covid. It is hard for everyone— including students—to cope with all that’s going on.

As school starts, families are getting into new routines, navigating classroom norms and rules, and getting to know new people. That’s a lot. It’s important to remember that many children are also bringing additional baggage—apart from their backpacks—into the classroom. Often, stressors, expectations, worries, and problems connected to their home lives show up at school with them.

At CADA, we are acutely aware of how traumatized children may bring their painful experiences into the classroom. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in 15 children is exposed to intimate partner violence each year. Of these children, 90 percent are eyewitnesses to that violence. Additionally, in homes where there is relationship abuse, there is an increased likelihood of co-occurring child abuse.

The impacts of witnessing or experiencing abuse can be extreme and lifelong. According to ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study) findings, experiences like abuse, violence, or other traumatic events may result in mental, physical, and social problems. Some examples of Adverse Childhood Experiences include incarceration of a parent, a death in the family, abuse or neglect, poverty, or witnessing violence in the community. Other social determinants, like growing up in poverty, experiencing systemic racism, experiencing gun violence, moving frequently, or food insecurity can also result in trauma-based responses. For children who have experienced trauma, the results can be seen in the classroom, in social activities, at home, and throughout adolescence and beyond.

• Some impacts of children’s trauma experiences may include:

• Negative impact on children’s brain development

• Verbal, motor, or cognitive issues

• Immune system issues

• Chronic health problems

• Impact on children’s decision-making skills

• Mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Insomnia

• Regression to earlier stages of development (for example, thumb sucking or wetting the bed)

• Substance abuse issues

• Fear of harm or abandonment

• Excessive worry

• Aggressive or anti-social behavior

How does this show up in the classroom?

Debi Burg, CADA’s Child & Family Advocate, said, “Trauma in children can show up in countless ways: people-pleasing, aggression, disengagement, and parentification (the caregiving or protection of a parent).” These are all examples of how a child might react to what is happening at home. Debi explained that children have the same emotions as adults but often aren’t old enough to have developed the emotional skills or vocabulary to communicate their feelings effectively.

Some behaviors that might show up in the classroom with children who have experienced trauma can include:

• A pattern of disruptive behavior

• Tantrums, increased aggression, or being quick to fight

• Easily distracted, or a tendency toward hyperactivity

• Disengaged or uninterested in learning, activities, or time with friends

• Falling asleep frequently in class

• Loss of appetite

• Self-harm

• Destructive behavior such as damaging property

Adults who work with children, either in or outside of school, can help by creating safe places outside of the home. As Debi explained, “It is important to recognize behaviors as an expression of a problem and not the problem itself. Compassion and understanding from the adults in their life can provide the support that they truly need to process and eventually heal from their trauma.”

Adults can help children by encouraging open communication and letting children know there are safe adults they can depend on. To help children displaying some of these behaviors, adults can:

• Ask children what’s on their minds, and help them label what they’re feeling

• Listen with patience, and with your full attention

• Validate children’s feelings

• Encourage, model, and reinforce positive and healthy behaviors and expressions of emotion

• Let children know there are helping adults at their school (teachers, counselors, social workers, nurses, and more) who are there for them

• If a child discloses trauma, it is important to reach out to a professional who is trained to deal with the situation

It is crucial for adults to be empathetic with children in order to teach children to be empathetic and compassionate towards others. Whether large or small, all children and students are navigating different circumstances at home, and we must remember that each child is carrying different baggage in their backpack. It truly takes a village, and your empathy, support, and compassion can be one small part of creating a safer world for the young people all around us.

KRISTEN WALTERS Development & Communications Manager CADA, Mankato

“There’s almost nothing I can’t do.”

- Jim Headington | Mankato, MN

Jim Headington has always considered himself active. Constant pain in his hip significantly decreased his quality of life. He made an appointment with Dr. Kyle Swanson at the Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic in Mankato and had hip replacement surgery at River’s Edge Hospital in St. Peter. Today Jim is enjoying the active lifestyle he had before joint replacement.

“I go entire days without thinking about my hip.”

JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY IMPORTANT CHOICE, EASY DECISION

River’s Edge Hospital has been recognized as a DNV GL Healthcare certified Orthopaedic Center of Excellence for:

• Hip & Knee Replacement

• Shoulder Surgery

• Spine Surgery

Learn more at

Plus, River’s Edge Hospital is top rated for patient experience!

DR. KYLE SWANSON